France's Fabius says all EU states back its Mali actions

January 17, 2013|Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France has the support of all European Union governments for its military intervention in Mali, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said on Thursday.

"All the European countries brought their solidarity to Mali, and all my colleagues without exception said they were supporting the French action," Fabius told reporters after an emergency meeting on the Mali crisis with his EU counterparts.

Earlier, EU ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to set up a training mission for Mali to help prepare government troops fighting Islamist rebels. (Reporting by Barbara Lewis; editing by Charlie Dunmore)